Alphabetical sorter



Nov. 12, 1957 H. A.- CULLEN, JR

ALPHABETICAL SORTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 30, 1954 ATTORNEYS HARRY A. CUL'LEAI JE. INVEN'I'OR QPON X'WVUT S United States Patent ALPHABETICAL SORTER Harry A. Cullen, Jr., Sacramento, Calif.

Application September 30, 1954, Serial No. 459,498

1 Claim. (Cl. 211-11) This invention relates to a device designed for use in filing systems, the primary object of the invention being to provide means for maintaining reference cards in alphabetically sorted groups.

An important object of the invention is to provide a rack or holder for reference cards which will maintain the cards sorted and in their proper alphabetical order so that the person using the sorter may readily determine where the first and last cards of particular groups of cards, are located.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rack or cabinet comprising a body including an inclined bottom and upstanding end plates, the bottom and rear plate having openings for the reception of portions of partitions which are so arranged that the cards held therein will be retained sorted in their proper groups.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a file or alphabetical sorter which may be constructed of suitable sheet material, such as heavy cardboard, sheet metal, plastic, wood or the like, and constructed in such a manner that the device may be constructed at a minimum cost and without the use of nails, screws or similar securing means for holding the component parts of the device together.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a sorter, constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view.

Fig. 3 is a view illustrating the blank from which the device is constructed.

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the device.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the partitions of the device.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the device as assembled for use as a filing cabinet, a portion thereof being shown in section.

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of the device wherein the letters of the alphabet are arranged for facilitating the use of the device by a person using his left hand in manipulating the cards held in the device.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the sorter is constructed from a blank of sheet material as shown by Fig. 3 of the drawings, the blank being indicated by the reference character 5.

In the formation of the blank, slits 6 are formed along the side edges of the main portion of the blank, providing end sections 7 which are bent upwardly along the lines 8 providing end walls 9. The end sections 7 are now bent laterally along the line 10 to rest against the rear surface of the rear wall 11 which is formed by bending the blank upwardly along the line 12 and bending 2,812,862 Patented Nov. 12, 1957 ICC downwardly the portion 13 of the blank along the line 14, reinforcing the device at this point and at the same time holding the end sections in place.

The support for the device comprises the extension 15 which is formed along one edge of the blank, and is folded downwardly along the line 16. The support or extension 16 is now folded rearwardly along the line 17, the portion 15 resting flat on a supporting surface to hold the bottom 18 in a rearwardly inclined position.

The bottom 18 is formed with spaced slots 19 that are arranged in alignment with spaced slots 20 formed in the rear wall 11 of the device.

These slots 19 and 20 are designed for supporting partitions on the bottom 18 and rear wall 11. These partitions embody lengths of sheet material as shown by Fig. 6 of the drawings, each partition embodying spaced side walls 21 and a rear wall 22, the partitions being of heights to encase groups of cards held between the partitions.

These partitions, when positioned in the sorter, are passed through adjacent slots 20, and the portions '7 and 13 of the blank are folded inwardly overlapping the rear walls 22 of the partitions.

Tabs 23 extend downwardly from the lower front edges of the partitions and fit within the slots 19 that fall directly thereunder. Thus, it will be seen that while the partitions are rigidly held in place, they may be readily and easily removed should it be desired to enlarge the spaces between partitions to contain a greater number of cards in forming a particular group.

As clearly shown by Fig. 7 of the drawings, indicating letters such as A, B, C, etc., are arranged opposite to the various partitions to identify the particular groups according to letters.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to the construction shown and described, I have provided an alphabetical sorter wherein groups of reference cards may be maintained with such respect to each other that they may be readily viewed facilitating the art of bookkeeping. It might be further stated that because the bottom 18 of the device slopes rearwardly, the reference cards will tend to gravitate to the rear of the device and be maintained against accidental displacement.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed A sorter rack comprising a base wall, a front wall extending upwardly at an acute angle relative to said base wall, a bottom wall extending downwardly and rearwardly from said front wall and contacting said base wall at the rear of the latter, a rear wall extending rightangularly and upwardly from said bottom wall, said rear wall having pairs of parallel sectional slots, said bottom wall having pairs of short slots adjacent the front edge thereof aligning with said vertical slots, a plurality of U-shaped partition forming members disposed at the angle between said bottom and rear walls, each pair of sides of said members extending forwardly through said vertical slots with the bight of each member bearing against the rear face of said rear wall, a back wall integral with said rear wall and bearing against the bights of said U-shaped members, and a tab carried by each side of 7 said members engaging in a slot in said bottom wall to hold said side in parallel relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,545,994 Anderson July 14, 1,762,900 Todd June 10, 2,081,070 Schoettle May 18, 2,174,715 Baker Oct. 3, 2,257,536 Roycroft Sept. 30, 

